FAQs
What is Coaching?
Coaching is a personal development process that focuses on making positive changes to any or all areas of a client’s life to free up and use the client’s potential to enable them to achieve the maximum success or performance from any or all areas of their life. This basic definition is taken from Timothy Gallwey (Author of ‘The Inner Game of Tennis’ and ‘The Inner game of Work’), who has also described successful coaching in the form of an equation:Performance = Potential – Interference
So the role of the coach is to enable the client to reduce the interference that is preventing them from living and being they way they want. Interference comes in many forms, such as lack of self confidence, low self-esteem, limiting self-beliefs, others’ opinions and views and the coach helps the client to pick apart this interference and to release and live up to their limitless potential.
Clients work with a coach on a regular basis, usually for a period of a minimum of around twelve sessions to maximise the benefit of the coaching. The coach’s role is to support the client to question and explore their current situation and to set and reach goals for positive change. By using powerful questioning techniques and coaching models the client is enabled to identify exactly what they want to achieve, what interference needs to be removed, how they are going to achieve their goal and what has to change in order for their goal to be met.
The coach then supports the client from an objective and independent viewpoint, which minimises ‘interference’, challenging negative self-beliefs and behaviours, celebrating progress and working with the client to implement new strategies and behaviours to reach their goals for success. Coaching concentrates on the “now” rather than dwelling on the past and challenges the status quo to empower the client to move forwards.
The process is powerful, exhilarating and very positive and as a result of coaching, the client has tools and strategies that they can use for the rest of their life to continue growing and developing towards their own goals. Most importantly, coaching is the enjoyable way to make changes!
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Will coaching work for everybody? Coaching helps people who have a real commitment to making positive changes to their life. Without that commitment change and growth cannot happen regardless of the skills of a coach. So if there is at least one thing about your life that you want to change for the better, and you are prepared to commit to that change, then coaching could be for you.
Coaching is not psychotherapy or counselling and there are some issues that are better handled by these or other methods, however, in some cases therapy and coaching at the same time are beneficial, depending on the issue and the client’s needs.
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How does your coaching work in practice? I work with people who have made a commitment to positive change in one or more areas of their life. I follow the standard coaching model, known as the “GROW” model, and work with the client to reduce ‘interference’ and use their existing skills, knowledge and limitless potential. The GROW model provides the basic practical framework for effective coaching and the ‘performance = potential – interference model provides the principle on which my coaching is based. This principle is effective for both private clients and those I coach as part of organisational or personal development programmes in large organisations and networks.
The first session is spent exploring what needs to change, what the desired outcomes of coaching are and finding out more about the client.
Each session following includes the following practical elements:
• Progress since the previous session is recognised and discussed
• The clients overarching goal is restated and clarified (it is likely to change and become more refined as progress is made)
• The client sets at least one achievable but challenging ‘journey’ or interim goal for the session, that will take them closer to their over-arching goal
• The ‘reality’ of the issue is discussed, with focus on what needs to change in order for progress to be made and with negative or limiting beliefs challenged
• The client is encouraged to consider a range of options for progress and then agrees what action they will take and detailed goals are finalised. The framework is used very flexibly during coaching sessions as all people are unique and their needs and wants will be completely different. I encourage the client to really think hard about what it is they want to achieve, to dig deeply into their subconscious to find answers to challenging questions. We then look at ways to change the things that are not working and agree the action that the client will take to move themselves forwards towards their goals. Although coaching focuses on the “now” rather than the past it is my role as coach to challenge negative self-beliefs that may have existed with the client for a long time and to support my clients to replace negative and limiting self-beliefs with positive and liberating ones.
My clients work very hard in our coaching sessions but tell me that they end the session feeling elated and strong, believing in their success and ready to embrace that success!
Most of my personal coaching sessions are done over the phone, arguably the most useful, fun, confidential and cost-effective way of coaching, although I do coach some clients face to face also. Depending on the geography involved I sometimes meet with a client for our first session and we follow up over the phone. I am happy to discuss which methods would work best for you.
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How many sessions will I need? Coaching is an investment in your life and as such requires a corresponding investment of time in order to maximise the effectiveness of the coaching. It takes time to get into the habit of making positive change and to leave negative situations in the past. I therefore normally ask for a starting commitment of twelve sessions from my clients. These sessions are normally weekly. Each session lasts for 60 minutes.
Return to top Can I “try out” coaching before I commit? If you are unsure about making a long term commitment just book for one session. To see all your options click here.
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How much does it cost? There are various options, depending on how many sessions you want. To see these options click here.
Return to top Where can I find out more about coaching and your coaching methods? There is a plethora of books, websites and self-help models available about coaching and taking control of your life. Amongst the many very high quality trainers I have been trained by and resources I have researched and used I have had three main influences:
Nic Rixon: – Design your Life http://www.nicrixon.com
Myles Downey – Effective Coaching http://www.downeycoaching.com/school.htm
Timothy Gallwey - The Inner Game of Work (Texere Publishing)
I would also recommend:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R.Covey Franklin Covey
Tiggers Little Book of Bounce - AA Milne Random House USA
Return to top Do I have to sign a contract? I ask all clients to sign a basic coach-client contract as this formalises the coaching relationship and ensures that we are both clear about what we are signed up to.
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Code of Conduct As a member of the Coaching Academy I am bound by the Academy’s code of conduct as seen below:
The Coaching Academy’s Code of Professional Conduct All staff, tutors, graduates, associates, members, fellows and licensees of The Coaching Academy must agree to follow this code of professional (The Code). Alleged breaches of The Code will be fully investigated by The Coaching Academy and, if proven, may lead to the expulsion of the guilty party and the withdrawal, without compensation, of all and any rights previously bestowed by virtue of that individual’s connection with The Coaching Academy. The Code
All staff, tutors, students, graduates, associates and members of The Coaching Academy agree to: -
1. Always conduct themselves to the highest levels of ethics, integrity, accountability and responsibility.
2. Treat all clients and potential clients with absolute dignity, confidentiality and respect as free and equal individuals.
3. Respect the commercial confidentiality of The Coaching Academy by not divulging business information to any third parties.
4. Maintain the good reputation of the coaching profession in general and The Coaching Academy in particular.
5. Comply with both the spirit and the letter of any commercial agreements made with clients, potential clients, professional colleagues and The Coaching Academy.
6. Make commercial agreements with clients and potential clients that are fair and will respect all parties to such agreements.
7. Represent true levels of status, title, competence and experience in order not to mislead, misrepresent or defraud.
8. Clearly state to clients and potential clients the terms of any commercial agreement including the expectations of both parties.
9. Make no claims or implications of outcomes that cannot be demonstrated or guaranteed.
10. Obtain written permission from any client or potential client before releasing their names as referees.
11. Respect the absolute rights of the client’s confidentiality except as expressly permitted by the client or potential client in writing or as required by law.
12. Recommend different coaches or resources when these will be more appropriate to the client’s needs.
13. Avoid all conflicts of interests and give notice of such potential conflicts to The Coaching Academy. Advise both The Coaching Academy and the client on the risk of conflict if a relationship moves beyond a coach/client situation. (For example a personal or business relationship.)
14. Refrain from offering professional information or advice that you know to be confidential, misleading or where the accuracy is beyond your competence to assess.
15. Endeavour to enhance public understanding and acceptance of professional coaching.
16. Share skills and experience with fellow members and associates of The Coaching Academy to further increase the body of knowledge, skills and competencies of such parties.
17. Respect all copyrights, agreements, work, intellectual property and trademarks and comply with all laws covering such areas.
18. Use the tuition, definitions and works provided by The Coaching Academy as the basis for all coaching procedures, practices and objectives.
19. Avoid coaching minors (people who have not yet had their 18th birthday) without the express written consent of parent, guardian or teacher as appropriate.
20. Contact The Coaching Academy immediately if you find yourself in a situation which may create conflict, litigation or bad publicity.
21. Comply with all laws and by-laws of the UK and, if coaching clients based abroad, with the laws of the clients’ country.
22. Ensure that all advertisements and promotional materials, whether verbal or written, are legal, decent, truthful, honest and in compliance with the requirements of the UK Advertising Standards Authority.
23. Make a copy of this Code freely available to clients if they request it.
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“Open, honest, direct, informed and intelligent in all her responses and views. Great team player but probably a greater leader!” Helen - Executive